1939 | |
September 1st | Germany invaded Poland. First use of Blitzkrieg. Britain and France gave Germany an ultimatum to get out. Blackout and evacuation plans were put in place in Britain. |
September 2nd | Chamberlain sent Hitler an ultimatum: withdraw German troops from Poland or war will be declared. The Luftwaffe gained air superiority over the Polish air force. |
September 3rd | Germany ignored the ultimatum and Britain and France declared war on Germany. British troops (the BEF) were sent to France. The passenger liner “Athenia” was sunk by U-30 off of Ireland. 112 of the passengers were killed. |
September 4th | The RAF raided German warships based in the Heligoland Bight. |
September 6th | South Africa declared war on Germany; Egypt broke off relations with Germany, |
September 9th | The IV Panzer Division reached Warsaw. |
September 17th | Russia’s Red Army attacked Poland from the east |
September 24th | 1,150 German aircraft bombed Warsaw |
September 26th | The Luftwaffe attacked the Royal Navy at Scapa Flow. |
September 27th | Poland surrendered to Germany. |
October 6th | Last Polish troops ceased fighting. Hitler launched his “Peace Offensive” but this was rejected by Neville Chamberlain |
October 14th | ‘HMS Royal Oak’ is torpedoed at Scapa Flow by U-47 |
November 30th | Russia’s Red Army invaded Finland |
December 13th | The Battle of the River Plate was fought |
December 14th | Russia expelled from the League of Nations |
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- 1939 September 1st Germany invaded Poland. First use of Blitzkrieg. Britain and France gave Germany an ultimatum to get out. Blackout and evacuation plans were…